Bengal kittens and the importance of toys

Playing with Bengal  kittens

Toys are crucial in a Bengal cat’s life from early kitten hood straight through to adulthood . They stimulate the cat both mentally and physically. Owners should schedule playtime into their kittens day regularly.

Bengal kittens are especially active,  and a bored Bengal kitten is a kitten who is apt to get into trouble!

Kittens develop social skills, coordination, running, pouncing and catching abilities through the aid of toys. A good variety of toys can help to provide a kitten with hours of fun, exercise and education! Without toys, rough play, which Bengal kittens are well known for, can become out of hand (or directed at the hand!). A kitten needs to be taught that toys are for biting and scratching, not hands. Toys can help prevent undesirable aggression directed toward family members or even other pets.

 

 

There are a great many toys out there, often the favourites are the simplest. Ours like  little plastic springs you can buy from pet stores, scrunchy foil balls and pen lids! Another favourite (although hard to find within the UK) are Zanies rabbit fur mice.

 

Feather  teasers, toys with balls or mice that the cat has to chase encourage the cat’s natural attraction to prey.
Keep in mind that your cat is naturally a hunter and imitate slow, creeping movements to promote interest in the toy. Allow your cat to be successful in the catch too, otherwise the play session only promotes frustration for your kitty. Toys that talk, squeak, rattle, etc are perfect for the ‘home alone cat’. The sound acts as a stimulus. Batting the toy produces a sound that peaks the cat’s curiosity!
Remember though,  no toy that your cat plays with on its own replaces the time spent with you and an interactive toy.

 

Fishing pole toys

Fishing pole wand toys are a great interactive toy and a must have for Bengal owners.  You should engage your Bengal in interactive play at least once a day; it is best to establish a routine.
Your Bengal is a hunting machine, and your job is to mimic the hunt two to five times a day.
Our favourite fishing pole  toy is the Go Cat ‘Da bird’. A little more expensive than some, but  they are durable and last, which is what you need with a Bengal! They come as a two piece rod or a single rod which we prefer. The feather attachments swivel and fly through the air , sounding and looking like a bird in flight. This toy never fails to entice even the shyest kitten or cat into crazy acrobats and a frenzy of excitement. There are many attachments for these rods.

 

As a Bengal owner, you will buy more toy attachments than anything else!  Generally Bengals prefer natural fibre attachments. They  like rabbit fur attachments, (but these are harder to find) but most of all they LOVE feathers!
An exception to the natural material theme is the sparkle attachment which they go wild for!

 

 

The Cat Dancer

Another favourite here is the ‘Cat Dancer’.
This  innovative cat toy from America consists of spring steel wire, approx. 90cm long, and rolled cardboard at the one end. The Cat Dancer stimulates the natural playing instincts of your cat: lurking, chasing, and hunting. A simple principle with an irresistible effect!
When you hold the Cat Dancer between your thumb and index finger, the irratic movements of the dangler will awake your cat’s hunting and playing instincts: your pet will associate the toy with a bird, butterfly, or a lurking mouse.

 

Interactive toys make for wonderful exercise opportunities as well as great deal of fun for the kitten and the owner. Periodically rotating toys will help to assure that your kitten does not become bored with his or her toys and that the toys continue to stimulate even into adult-hood.

Of course toys do not need to be expensive and much fun can be had with a cardboard box with holes cut in the sides!

Providing a variety of entertaining toys and play areas for your kitten will help to insure a well balanced, well rounded and healthy mature feline.